The present invention relates generally to adjustable backboards and rims and more specifically to direct mount, telescopic adjustable basketball backboard and rim structures.
In the art of adjustable backboards and rims, a typical example is the use of a parallelogram connected between a support structure and the backboard and rim combination. The height of the backboard and rim is adjustable and locked in place. Various mechanisms have been used for the drive and the locking mechanisms. These generally have fallen in the categories of screw and bolt mechanisms, and rachet mechanisms. Although the parallelogram with the rachet mechanism has been very popular in the consumer market, the institutional market has different requirements. A parallelogram takes up valuable space because of the distance required from the support structure. Similarly, institutional backboards and rims are substantially heavier than consumer backboards and rims and therefore require a more substantial structure than a cantilevered parallelogram structure.
In the institutional market, the backboard and rim is usually supported in one of two ways, namely a single center strut or a pair of double struts. The struts are usually attached to the walls or ceilings of a building. The backboard structure is connected to the pair of struts by two pairs of clamps per strut. For ceiling mount of the structures, the pair of struts generally have a ladder configuration. For a center strut configuration, two vertically spaced brackets, connected to the backboard structure, connect the backboard to a single center strut. Adjustable structures to the single and double struts have been used in the prior art. The double strut structure includes a pair of guides, one connected to each of the double struts, and a pair of slides to which the backboard structure is connected. A horizontal bar connected between the slides and a second horizontal bar extending between the pair of guides are interconnected by a screw drive with a bolt on one of the horizontal bars. The guides and slides have generally the same horizontal displacement as the double struts and the attachment structure of the backboard. A typical example is illustrated in FIG. 1.
For single center strut structure, the guide and slide structure mimic that of the double strut system. A square or partial ladder guide structure is connected to the center strut and the slide structure is connected by a pair of struts to the backboard structure. A screw drive extends between horizontal portions of the guide to the slide structure. A typical example is illustrated in FIG. 2.
Because of the pressure applied to the rim during a slam dunk, there are many designs to protect the backboard from these forces. This is especially true for glass backboards. In non-adjustable backboards, the rim has generally been mounted to the support structures generally through the backboard. This transfers the forces directly to the support structure and not to the backboard. For a center strut, the backboard is mounted directly to the center strut and the rim is mounted to the center strut through the backboard. In a double strut, various vertical bars connecting the two struts have supported the backboard. Other structures have included connecting the rim to the backboard mounting structure either through the backboard or underneath the backboard. While transferring the force to the framing of the backboard, it does not provide the same protection or transfer forces as where the rim is mounted to the support structure instead of the backboard structure. In prior art adjustable backboards, the rim is mounted to the backboard structure and not to the strut supports directly.
Thus it is the object of the present invention to provide an adjustable backboard structure with a direct goal mount.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved adjustable backboard structure to be used with direct and indirect goal mounts.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable backboard structure which is capable of being used with any of the following: single strut, dual strut, vertical or horizontal struts and support structures.
These and other objects are achieved by mounting the rim through or below the backboard directly to a slide of a telescopic adjustable system. The backboard is also mounted to the slide. The slide slides along a guide which is mounted to a support mounting device. A drive, for example, a screw, positions the slide along the guide to adjust the height of the rim and backboard. A center bracket is connected directly to the slide and has apertures for receiving the fasteners to mount the rim thereto. Lateral brackets, connected to the center bracket, has apertures that receive the fasteners to mount the backboard thereto. The slide includes a pair of slides each connected adjacent a respective edge of the center bracket and the guide includes a pair of guides connected adjacent a respective edge of one or a pair of vertically spaced support brackets. The support brackets each include a vertical portion or horizontal portion. The horizontal and vertical portions each includes one or more apertures for receiving fasteners to mount a horizontal and a vertical support structure.
The adjustable basketball backboard and rim structure may also include a pair of vertical space support brackets for mounting the structure to a support and guides connected to and extending between the pair of support brackets. A center bracket is connected directly to a slide and includes apertures for receiving fasteners to mount a rim to the slide. Lateral brackets connected to the center bracket includes apertures for mounting the backboard to the slide. The drive, for example, a screw, is used to position the slide along the guide to adjust the height of the rim. The slide includes a pair of slides connected adjacent with respect to the edge of the center bracket and the guide includes a pair of guides connected adjacent to the respective edge of the support brackets. The support bracket has the vertical and horizontal portions to receive horizontal and vertical supports.
Adjustable basketball backboard and rim structure may include a pair of vertically spaced support brackets for mounting the structure to a support. The support brackets each include a vertical portion and a horizontal portion, each having one or more apertures for receiving fasteners to mount a horizontal or vertical support. A guide is connected to the support brackets and a slide is slide mounted to the guide. The backboard mounting structure and rim mounting structure are connected to the slide. A driver, for example a screw, positions the slide along the guide to adjust the height of the rim.